Monterey Institute Becomes a Graduate School of Middlebury College

An affiliate of Middlebury College since 2005, the Monterey Institute of International Studies will be fully integrated into Middlebury on July 1, 2010. As of that date, Monterey will formally be known as the Monterey Institute of International Studies, a graduate school of Middlebury College. The Monterey Institute’s current board of trustees will become a board of governors appointed by Middlebury’s board of trustees.

The two institutions are known for their expertise in international studies and language education, and the integration will expand their collective programmatic offerings in these areas.

It will also provide students of languages and international studies an unrivaled continuum of learning opportunities, from the pre-college to undergraduate and graduate levels. Depending on their age and interests, students may attend the Middlebury-Monterey Language Academy (MMLA) - a language immersion summer program for students in grades 8-12 - study language or international policy at Middlebury College, attend either or both the Middlebury Language Schools and the C.V. Starr-Middlebury Schools Abroad, and pursue a master’s degree in one of 11 international-related programs at Monterey.

“In addition to its commitment to excellence across the liberal arts, Middlebury must also continue to define itself and the strengths that set it apart as a global leader in language learning and international education. Monterey contributes greatly to the ability to do this,” said Middlebury College President Ronald D. Liebowitz.

“Monterey and Middlebury share not only a common interest in cross cultural communication but also a commitment to making a difference in the world,” said Monterey Institute of International Studies President Sunder Ramaswamy. “Together we provide a vital bridge between critical thought and applied learning.”

The integration of Monterey into Middlebury will create opportunities in several areas:

international and language education

integrated degree programs that offer a bachelor’s and a master’s in five years

research and internships for undergraduate and graduate students abroad

faculty collaboration and teaching exchanges

the development of collaborative ventures such as the Middlebury-Monterey Language Academy

Beginning in the fall of 2010, Middlebury and Monterey will offer several integrated degree programs in which students will be able to earn a combined bachelor of arts from Middlebury and a master’s from Monterey in five years. These degree programs include four years of undergraduate work in a variety of majors at Middlebury, language proficiency and one year of graduate study at Monterey. The two institutions will initially offer five integrated degrees in the following areas: international environmental policy, international policy studies, nonproliferation and terrorism studies, teaching foreign languages, and teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL).

More information about the integration of the Monterey Institute into Middlebury is available on the Middlebury Web site.